The Unknown History of Shadow Prove
by Dreamflight4798
Summary: This is how I imagine what Shadow Prove's life was like before New Vestroia. It's rated T for the minor violence. I wasn't sure if it was okay for the violence in K-plus
1. Alone in the Dark

**Okay, I've been interested in Shadow Prove for _forever._ In this story, I wanted to explore how such a maniac could come to be. I know that he's a Vestal nobleman, so I started there and the rest just happened. This is entirely how _I_ think Shadow Prove's past would be like; You are entitled to think whatever you like.**

**Just one last thing before I begin: I do not own Shadow Prove or Bakugan, just the plot and the OC's.**

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It had all happened so quickly. The brawl, the death bomb, and now this. He had been with Mylene only a few minutes before, but then everything had gone black around them, and they had been pulled apart.

Shadow Prove didn't do well alone; he avoided it whenever possible. But now-not even knowing if he were dead or alive-he had no choice but to remain in solitude.

He tried to think of the last thing he knew for a fact was real. _The Brawl_, he decided. That was certainly real. The rest could've been a hallucination. A very convincing hallucination. _Sigh._

He didn't like being alone in the dark. It made him uneasy. He couldn't goof off and make it seem like everything was no big deal. There was no one around to convince. And without someone to convince of his carelessness and insanity, he couldn't convince himself. The quiet around him screamed the truth.

He really wasn't insane. He just acted that way. Yes, his logic wasn't entirely normal, but he wasn't really crazy. He had been the way he was since the age of twelve-five years ago now.

Oops. He had done it. He had opened the vault of the childhood memories that he had tried so hard to lock away. Darn it.

Knowing it would be pointless to try and resist, Shadow Prove submitted to them. He knew what was coming, but there was no way to stop it. He let himself go back to Vestal, the Vestal of his past.

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**And here we have the start! I know Shadow Prove seems out of character, but he can't really do anything about any of what's happening. In the meantime, send in your reviews! :D**


	2. The beginning of Andrik's Story

******Okay! The first slightly creepy childhood memory of Shadow Prove!(I find it creepy to think of him as a ordinary kid) In this one, he's five years old, and has just experienced the first bit of teasing.**

**Disclaimer: I only own the OC's (little shadow A.K.A. Andrik is one of them) and the plot. I don't own adult Shadow or Bakugan**

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Andrik ran through the manor. He was holding back tears as he frantically searched. He swung open the glass door that led out to the balcony and looked down. He saw his mother tending the flower bush. He contemplated jumping off the balcony to reach her faster, but he realized he would die if he tried that. So he reentered the house and ran to the nearest outside door.

When he burst into the garden, his mother didn't notice him until he grabbed her leg. The tears he'd been holding back spilled over.

"What's wrong, Andrik?" she asked as she bent down to comfort him.

"I'm never going back to school!" he wailed.

"Why?"

He couldn't tell her for a few minutes; he was crying too hard. Finally, he got the words out.

"THEY ALL CALLED ME A VAMPIRE!"

He broke down into fresh sobs. No more explanation was needed: she understood. He had, after all, inherited his eyes and teeth from her.(random side note: his hair came from his Dad)

"Maybe," she said when he'd quieted down. "Maybe it's time we find you a tutor and playmate, so that you don't have to back to school."

He looked up at her.

"What?"

"I'll need to talk to your father about it, but I'm sure he'll agree with me," she told him.

Andrik hugged her. His father could do anything, so _of course _he would never have to go back to school.

Shadow Prove smiled bitterly at Andrik's innocence. Yes, at the time, his father had been able to do anything for him. But if only he'd really understood. That playmate would be a torture.

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**Thus, we see the Shadow Prove's first name used to be Andrik! Ok, that wasn't the whole point, but it took me forever-and I had to get some help- to give him that name because "Shadow" could not be his legal name at that time.**

**Until the next chapter: Review! ;P**


	3. Torture Playmate and Rebellion

**All right! Torture playmate time! Guess who? (Or you can just read it for yourself)**

**This is two memories because the first one is extremely short. In this, he is first seven, then ten.**

**Repeat: Only own the plot and OC's**

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Andrik was extremely bored. He wouldn't be rescued from this torture for another hour at the least.

_Someone please just kill me now, _he thought. Anything was better than sitting here listening to Hydron's monologues while role playing a prince knight in shining armor.

"Did you hear me?" Hydron's irritating voice reached his ears.

"Sorry Hydron. Got distracted," Andrik muttered.

"Don't call me by my name!" he screeched. "Call me 'my most high and royal majesty'."

"My most high and royal majesty," Andrik repeated obediently.

His father, Jekrom Prove, had only arranged this when Andrik's mother had told him about the bullying. Hydron had been needing a playmate at that time, and so _voila_! The torture began. Hydron was a real brat, and Andrik wanted to yell at him, but he couldn't because Hydron was _royalty_. Andrik cursed his bad luck as Hydron resumed the dramatic monologue for the fifth time.

Shadow Prove grimaced. Hydron had only gotten more bratty and annoying with age. He could now see that Jekrom-he refused to think his father-was a social climber and used his eldest son to climb up in the ranks of nobles in Zenoheld's court. No further thought could be soared as he was pulled back into the memory streams.

Andrik walked down the manor hall. He was starting to look more adult like, losing the childish softness that he had once held. The formalwear only emphasized this. Normally, Andrik dressed very nicely, but when he went to meet his father, as he did now, he dressed in the best he had. His father highly disapproved of Andrik's latest likes in the area of clothing: trench coats and metal boots.

Approaching the study, Andrik knocked twice. His father invited him in. Jekrom greeted him and gave a quick explanation of what Andrik's duties would be as junior host of the party that would be held later that week at their manor. Once his father finished, he was ordered away.

Andrik went to leave, but when his hand touched the doorknob, he felt a surge of emotion he had never felt before.

"Father," he said loudly. "I hope you know that I do all that you ask me, but you never even spend time with me or seem to feel that I am worth anything. I hope that you realize this."

"Andrik, stop being foolish," Jekrom chastised him. " I have too much to do with my-"

"Your _work._" Andrik cut across him. "It's all about your work. Never about me, or Mother, or Narix."

Jekrom lost his temper. So did Andrik. The shouting match lasted for hours, but Andrik finally slammed the door in his father's face. He didn't feel crushed or angry. He felt _good_. He liked this feeling. He walked away, a malevolent grin stretched across his face.

_That was the first taste of rebellion, _Shadow Prove thought. The rebelliousness had begun there and had escalated. Soon his father-_Jekrom_, he reminded himself. _Not my father_-refused to see him unless it was urgent. He felt immensely satisfied.

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**REBELION HAS STRUCK! This had to happen sooner or later. And by the way, Narix is Shadow Prove's younger brother. The pre-vexo relationship with Hydron has always been the same, except he was willing to go with it when he was a kid.**

**Until next chapter, REVIEW!**


	4. The beginning of a long road

******All right! Now we get into the really interesting parts! From here on out, memories are not just single events, but are series of events that happened in the same basic time period. And we will not pull out and back to Shadow's view because that takes too much time.**

**You will probably be getting tired of this, but disclaimer: I do not own bakugan. Plot and OC's ONLY!**

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Andrik woke up. He could smell something. Something...burning. He threw off his covers and peeked out his door.

There was a flickering orange light coming from down the hall. _Fire!_

Whipping around, Andrik put on the first clothes his hands touched: a black shirt, black leather pants, a trench coat and metal boots. Maybe the metal boots weren't very smart, but he threw them on anyway.

By the time he was dressed, the temperature of the manor had risen noticeably. Flinging open the door, he saw the fire. He did the instinctive thing and ran from them.

He halted in the front of his little brother's room and flung the door open. Narix was sitting up in his bed, but he was still half asleep. Andrik yanked him out of the bed and dragged him into the hall before fleeing the hungry flames.

Narix seemed to wake up when he felt the heat and began to go into panic mode. Andrik payed no attention. Narix's hand fell from his as Adrenaline rushed through his little brother's body and he ran faster, passing Andrik.

They hit a dead end at the balcony. Fire chasing them and with at least a thirty foot drop between them and the ground it seemed hopeless. Andrik slammed his hand into the railing with frustration. _Stupid Father, _he thought. _You didn't buy that fire escape ladder even when Mother insisted._

Despite his anger, he remembered something he had read about in an emergency survival manual. Tearing off his coat, he took Narix's as well.

He quickly knotted the two together and tied it to the railing's lowest point. He tied the other end around Narix's waist before tossing his younger sibling off the balcony.

He heard the makeshift rope grow taunt, and then, after rechecking the knot, slid down. Right before he landed on Narix, he let go. He fell a good maybe 20 feet before he landed. He felt one of his legs crack. Gritting his teeth, he hobbled under his little brother.

"Untie the knot!" he called up.

"_WHAT?_" came the reply.

"I'll catch you," Andrik promised. He held out his arms and waited. Narix struggle with the knot, but when he came free, he landed in his big brother's arms, as promised. Andrik felt the already injured leg snap, and he cried out.

Darkness began to overcome his vision as Narix dragged him farther away from the burning manor.

**One week later**

Andrik sat in the hall of the hospital, feeling very crabby. His leg was broken, and despite that the rigid gel brace kept the bone from moving and allowed him to walk, it was still immensely painful. However the injury to his leg and pride was not what had him in such a bad mood.

Both his parents had perished in the fire that had consumed the manor; Narix and Andrik were now orphans. Andrik, being only twelve, was not old enough to look after himself and his brother alone. They would be in the care of the palace now, as it was that they were a nobleman's sons.

Andrik had no intention of living in the palace with Hydron until he was sixteen. That was still four years away. It was only his injury that kept him out of the palace now.

He had two choices: either make the injury worse so he would have to stay longer, or run away. Being adverse to pain, he preferred the latter.

_Tonight_, he thought._ I'll do it tonight._

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**Andrik is so determined not to live in the palace that he runs away! See the result next chapter!**

**Review peoples!**


	5. The Slums

**Okay, to recap, Andrik has run away so he doesn't have to live at the palace(with Hydron). He has already left and is now wandering the ghetto part of Vestal's capital(the Slums). It's been several days, and Andrik is now out of food(OH-NOES!).**

**Shadow Prove: Dreamflight doesn't own Bakugan. Just the plot and OC's. And my younger self, which is creepy.**

**Dreamflight: Watch who you're calling creepy. I have control over your past! *Evil laugh***

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Andrik's stomach growled. That was all it had done for nearly four days. He was out of food and had just drank the last bit of his water. The hot sun and his sweat were making him thirstier every second.

He had entered a part of the city he had never been in before: the Slums, a filthy, ramshackle area well known for it's ruling class to be the many gangs that were constantly battling for territory. Andrik was amazed with everything he saw; how anyone could live in these conditions were beyond him.

Throat burning, stomach complaining up a storm, he wandered on.

Some time later, he saw a girl with midnight blue hair, probably in her late teens, watching him curiously. He held her stare. Barely able to make any sound he tried to ask, "Do you have water?" His head began to spin, and he felt himself fall.

Some time later

"Doesn't look like he's from around here though, does he?"

Andrik tried to think past the pounding in his skull. He was still very thirsty and hungry, but now he seemed to be lying on a bed or something. He wondered how long it would be until he got taken care of.

"Do we have a name?" came a rough voice. "It would be nice if he was a little puppy we could sell."

"I already told you this! He saw me and tried to say something, but he passed out!" It sounded like a girl talking, and she sounded annoyed. "Wake him up, and he can tell you."

Andrik didn't like the sound of the conversation, but a fresh wave of throbbing removed the thought from his mind.

He felt someone shaking him. Andrik tried to open his eyes, and almost immediately shut them when he managed to crack them open.

An absolutely _huge _boy was leaning over him, his face disfigured with countless scars. His skin was darker than Andrik's, his cropped hair was deep burnt orange and his eyes were an almost transparent silver.

"Hey," he said in what was supposed to be a comforting voice; it came out as a growl. "I aint never seen you 'round here. What's your name?"

Andrik tried to talk, but all he could do was cough weakly, which made his head spin. The scarred boy turned and grabbed a water bottle before handing it over. Andrik gulped the whole thing down in seconds.

"Andrik," he answered, his voice still thin and quiet. "My name is Andrik Prove."

"Where you from?" the scarred boy asked, glancing back at another boy, this one much thinner and with vivid red hair, holding a clipboard.

"Why do you want to know?" Andrik challenged. "Who are you to ask me such questions?"

"You can call me Skull. That's Search-" he gestured to the red-haired boy, who didn't look up. "- and the girl over there is Cressedia Farrow." Cressedia, as it turned out, was the blue haired girl from earlier. She look familiar for some reason, but then his thoughts were interrupted.

"There is an Andrik Prove on here," Search announced. "Son of Jekrom and Oriza Prove, one of the highest nobles in King Zenoheld's court."

Skull grinned. "Let Lash know. He'll be pleased."

"Who's Lash?" Andrik asked in a trembling voice.

"Don't worry," Cressedia told him. "You'll be back home soon. There's just a few things we need to sort out."

"If you're planning to hold me for a ransom, it's no good. I won't go back and Father died in a fire just this past week."

Shock crossed bot Skull's and Cressedia's faces, while Search froze halfway out the door. They all left quickly, probably to discuss this new information. Andrik couldn't care less. He took another cold drink of water.

Soon they reentered the room, one new person with them. He was very small. There was no way to guess his age. His eyes were a deep violet and his hair was a pale ice blue that clung to his head like it was wet. He was maybe ten years old at the youngest, but he had an air of authority and a coldness in his eyes that looked out of place on his boyish face. From the way the others both surrounded him like a shield and looked like they didn't want to be near him, he was a leader that ruled by fear.

For a long moment, Andrik and his eyes met; the whole time, Andrik felt like he was being surveyed, tested. Then the Boy spoke.

"Well, Andrik Prove, what are we going to do with you?"

His voice was frigid. Andrik wasn't sure how to respond, so he decided to act cocky to test the water.

"Dunno, kid. Join me into the gangs?"

Skull thumped Andrik on the head.

"Show more respect to Lash! He could kill you for saying that! He is the leader of the Blood Moon Gang!"

Lash didn't seem particularly upset or amused at all. He was watching Andrik with a shrewd, calculating sort of interest.

"Skull," Lash said curtly. "Code annex exam." Then he turned and left.

Skull glared at Andrik before leaving with Search, now deep in whispered conversation.

"Code Annex Exam huh?" Cressedia sat down on the end of the bed. "You must have something really special about you. Lash normally wouldn't even _try _to let you into the Gang."

"What happens if I fail the exam?" Andrik asked, fear setting into his stomach.

"Well, either you pass, go back to where you came from, or die."

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**Scary, suspenseful ending right? As of now, Andrik is put in mortal danger. Lash is _really _sadistic and will enjoy watching Andrik in pain. So will Skull.**

**Until the next thrilling(or not so thrilling) installment to the story, review guys!**


	6. The Annex Exam

******Finally, I get this new chapter uploaded! Thanks to y'all peeps who helped me decide through voting on my poll! I really owe you!**

**Quick overview: Annex exam is a-go and the rules are being explained. Andrik is freaking out. That's about it.**

**Shadow Prove: That's all you have to say? You don't seem to realize that my life was in jeopardy!**

** Me: Yeah, this is where the (mild) violence and (mild) graphics begin.**

**Shadow Prove: Are you even listening?**

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"The rules are simple enough to follow. You will be left completely alone to survive in our territory for an entire week. You can't beg for food or water. You gotta get it all yourself. The gang will be on alert to stop any little adventures off into other territories."

As Search finished his little speech, Andrik swallowed, feeling as though a rock had just sunk into his stomach. Cressedia hadn't been kidding with the death possibility. This did not seem like a good idea, but what choice did he have?

Lash kept those cold eyes on Andrik the whole time. Andrik could feel the intensity of that stare burning into the back of his head. It was all he could do not to turn around so he could safely keep an eye on Lash.

"Go on," Skull snarled. Andrik steadied himself before taking off. He ran for half an hour or more, just trying to get away from that audience. It wasn't until he collapsed from exhaustion that he realized that if he was going to survive the week, he needed shelter, a food and water source, and some way to keep himself from getting lost.

He kept his eyes open as he trudged along. Nothing promising came along until he spotted the ruins of a collapsed building. That would provide shelter, and he could scavenge from the Garba-holders* for supplies. This would be a good place to camp out for a week.

Several trips between the Garba-holders provided Andrik with a place to sleep within the wreckage and something to snack on**. He lay in his new little home and looked at the piece of metal above his head.

His reflection showed that he had become the nightmare of all noble families: His clothes were torn, his face filthy and scratched, dirt all over him, his hair standing all over the place and with a slight desperate look in his eye.

Andrik sighed and rolled over. This was going to be a _long_ week.

.

Shadow jerked himself out of it with a jolt. That had most likely been the lowest week he had ever lived through, excepting his whole noble life before that. All that he really remembered of the following days were constant hunger and thirst. Exhaustion always set in at nightfall, and at night it had always been freezing, the ground had been very hard and unforgiving, often bruising him. Nothing of importance happened. Not until...

.

Andrik was scavenging through one of the Garba-holders when heard something behind him. He turned, one hand clutching the first bit of food he had found all day.

It was a boy, not too much younger than Andrik was. His long, deep green hair was matted and filthy, a crazed, starving look in his light blue eyes.

"Gimme that food," the kid demanded. Andrik tensed up. This was _his _food. He wasn't going to let the little brat take the only sustenance he had found all day. The kid saw Andrik's determination, and wasted no time: he leaped at him.

Andrik slammed hard into metal. He felt rage snap to life inside him. Raising his arm, Andrik swung at the kid,knocking him over. Andrik pounced, punishing the person who dared to take the food. Within minutes, the kid was fleeing from before him. Andrik felt a rush of savage pride and satisfaction.

Returning to his shelter, Andrik tore into the food. It was hard and didn't taste very good, but it would stop his hunger. Soon it was gone and he felt much better. He still felt no shame at attacking that kid; it had been purely instinct.

He heard a noise outside the shelter. Andrik crawled out and saw the same kid from before.

"I want food. Give it or I'll hurt you."

"I don't have any. Go find your own," Andrik told him. The kid didn't budge.

"Scram outta here, or I'll give you another thrashing," Andrik warned, walking closer.

Suddenly the Kid jumped at him, like before, but this time Andrik didn't react fast enough: he landed had on the ground as the kid began punching and kicking. Using one arm under him as leverage, Andrik flipped over, crushing the little brat.

Andrik stood up, walked three feet away and waited. The kid didn't disappoint him: he pounced for a third time. Andrik's combat training snapped in and his left foot, shod in a metal boot, made contact with his enemy's stomach. The kid staggered as Andrik dealt out more punishment with punches. The kid turned and ran. Andrik let him go, turning his back.

Something struck him on the back of his head. _Hard_. Andrik staggered forward, coughing up blood. He looked at his hand that was directly below his mouth, and felt sick when he saw that warm blood was still dripping from his mouth and into his hand. Clenching his teeth, he whipped around.

The kid was still there, but holding a makeshift sling. In his other hand there was a hunk of metal.

Andrik let out an animal shriek of rage and charged. He tackled the kid and tried to hurt him, in any way, but the kid was amazingly strong; Andrik was flipped onto his back within seconds. Arms pinned, unable to move anything else, Andrik craned his neck and bit down on his opponent's shoulder. The jolt of surprise that froze his enemy was all he needed: Andrik freed himself and, adrenaline and rage coursing through his system at the same time, administered the beatdown. His enemy was running away-for real this time-five minutes later.

Andrik panted. When he turned to reenter his shelter and tend to his injuries, he saw his reflection.

His hair sticking up all over the place, red eyes shining with blazing anger, muscles taunt, fang-like teeth bared, clothes ripped, and blood running down his chin gave him a fearsome look. For the first time, Andrik could see why those other children had called him "vampire".

Hearing someone coming, Andrik whirled back around, ready for another fight. Then he saw Lash, Skull, and Cressedia.

"Well done," Lash said quietly in that cold voice. "Welcome to the Blood Moon Gang."

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**YES! It is _finally_ done! This took a while to write.**

**Sorry if that was too graphic, but that is how I imagined it happening. There wont be too much blood in the rest of it.**

**By the way, remember when I said we wouldn't cut out to Shadow anymore? I lied. I just needed to do it. It might happen again, but maybe not.**

**ANYWAY: REVIEW! XD**

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***Garba-holders=dumpsters**

****yeah, he's eating out of the garbage. (EW!)**


	7. Shattered Mind

******Andrik is now a member of the Blood Moon Gang. Still a junior member because he hasn't earned his gang name (can anyone guess what it will be?) He's 13 now (_FINALLY!_) and this is a day in the life.**

******Shadow Prove: You forgot a detail!**

******Dreamflight: Yeah, and he's got a mutual crush situation. Good sense of drama. ANYWAY, this is where small traits of adult Shadow start to appear. See if you can spot them.**

******Shadow:*angry mark* THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEANT!**

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Andrik woke up with at least three boys on top of him. Standing, he heard them complain, but the scramble toward the mattress he'd stolen last night. Andrik hated the group bunking of junior members, but only full members got their own home, or shared with their siblings.

Out in the cool morning air, Andrik began the morning scavenge for food. He was in luck and found something in the first five minutes. Munching on it, he walked through the street littered with wreckage and scavengers. They all got out of the way when they saw his numbered cuff that marked him as a gang member. Andrik felt a surge of pride and a stab of longing at the same time: Pride for being one of the few who were tough enough and longing for the title of full member and a gang name.

Standing outside a slanted shack with the door stained in the symbol of Lash's inner circle, Andrik did a futile attempt trying to get his bedhead under control. These days, his hair grew all over the place, sometimes sticking up all on it's own. The wild silver hair gave him a fierce, crazed look, but that was not how he wanted to look at this second.

Giving up, he knocked. The door opened and Cressedia came into view.

"Hey Drak," she greeted him.

"Hi Cressedia," Andrik answered. Normally he flew off the handle if someone called him by his name-nickname, last name, first name, just anything-but Cressedia was the exception. Andrik found it amazing that Cressedia had beaten the odds to join the inner circle as the first girl ever. This granted her-in his mind-the privilege to call him by name. Only the inner circle were allowed to.

"The usual?" she asked.

"Yeah, and I have extra food," Andrik held up what he hadn't eaten. She accepted it with a nod of thanks.

"There's tension at the Flare border. Lash is declaring it before noon. Round up the dispersers and send out the word. I'll put in a word for you as the junior squad member." Cressedia didn't make eye contact, but her face got a bit more colored. Andrik felt his own imitate hers, and he left.

It wasn't hard to find the dispersers, and soon, all the gang members were out by the main gathering space. It was very crowded.

Andrik found himself next to Slatch. He wished he'd ended up somewhere else. Slatch had been the one who'd tested his combat skills in the Annex Exam. That was how he'd earned his gang name. Andrik got angry when he thought about it.

Lash placed himself in front of the gang, instantly instilling silence.

Lash had grown a bit, but he still didn't look like he was seventeen; the same way Andrik's voice stubbornly remained higher pitched than other vestal kids his age. Lash's cold, harsh nature made sure that even though half the gang hated him, they all feared him.

Lash gave the report: The Flare gang was getting overconfident and were raiding the gang's established territory. A border battle had been arranged, and now the team was to be chosen.

Automatically, the group split into two groups: Juniors and Full members. Lash named several boys and two girls from the full members, leaving three open spaces on the squad.

"Krei and Saro," Lash announced, leaving one space left. Andrik tensed up. If he didn't get the spot, he'd be in suspense of the result of the border battle, not to mention that he would have _"the question"_ back on his mind: _When will I get my true name?_

"Andrik," Lash said, finality ringing through his tone. Andrik thought his legs were going to buckle with relief.

Soon, they were given directive and sent off on their ways to do as they were commanded.

Andrik returned to his Annex exam shelter: his hideaway for valuable items. Inside, he grabbed the old metal boots from his old life and pulled them on. They were getting tight, but wearable. Then, grabbing a file, Andrik started to sharpen his nails that were kept long for this purpose. Once he finished, Andrik looked at himself.

He had changed a lot from the little pretty boy Jekrom had tried to make: He was tall and strong, his hair forevermore a giant mess, eyes hard and pitiless. No one in there right minds would mistake him for the same boy he'd been just a year ago.

Adjusting his long torn leather pants, he hid the boots from view; they were his secret weapon, as Lash instructed.

Before long, he was waiting outside Lash's quarters, eating the rare quality food that had been set aside for the squad. When Lash came out, wearing makeshift battle armor, the whole team scrambled to get into ranks. It was very awkward; normally the gang was just one big mass of people, so being organized in any form was hard. Andrik had the advantage, as his whole pre-slum life had been made of organization.

"Fight for our land," Lash said as they attempted to line up. "They can't take it. Fight to the death. No mercy, and I would prefer no survivors."

The team screamed their assent. Lash ordered the group to the Flare border, and as they ran off, Andrik felt like there was a rock in his stomach. This happened every time he fought. He knew it would pass once first blood was spilt.

At the Flare border, the other gang battle team were waiting, already lined up. They sneered at their opponent's lateness. Lash ignored them and the squad followed suit. They lined up.

It wasn't a rock in Andrik's stomach now; It was a ball of ice. He tried not to let it show. Letting a crazed smile show on his face, he stood in a relaxed pose. To push it a little farther, he slid his tongue out and licked his lips. His chosen target flinched. _Nice._

Lash and the other leader stood at the border. Very deliberataly, Flare crossed the invisible line.

Everything snapped into action. Andrik charged his target, only to be intecepted by a much larger boy. Combat training automatically kicked in and Andrik began trading punches and kicks. He downed the boy by a kick under the chin; the metal boot broke the jawbone. A punch across the face finished the fight.

Andrik was a demon for the rest of the fight: breaking bones, forcing retreats because he couldn't get the nerve to end lives. Soon the whole force had been routed. Only one death: Flare. Lash had killed him for daring to come into territory.

Andrik and the others checked eachother for casualties. Then Andrik saw something in the shadows. He slipped away from the others and entered the alley. Suddenly he was airborne and hit the wall. A hidden enemy was overpowering him. With what air he still had, Andrik let out a strangled yelp. The gang came into the alley.

Andrik's opponent grabbed his arm and dragged him to the ground. Andrik gasped at the pressure the boy was exerting.

"Should we help?" Andrik heard Cressedia's voice.

"No," Lash commanded. "Whether he lives or dies is up to him."

Andrik felt the ball of ice in his stomach spreading into his veins. Using both hands, he could keep himself from being strangled, but he coulldn't get any leverage. He felt blind panic filling him. Using total instict, he bit his enemy's nearest hand, then reach his now free hand up and tried to punch the boy in the face.

He missed; instead of hitting the boy in the chin, his razor sharp nails tore through the side of his enemy's neck.

The boy jerked away, blood splattering the ground. Andrik could only stare in horror as the boy fell to the ground, spasamed a few times, then stopped all movment. Andrik suddenly realized that he had just killed a fellow vestal. He stood, utterly in shock.

Slowly, Andrik walked over to the body. He could only see the young boy's face, frozen in permanent shock and panic.

_I had to have the ice in my viens to do that,_ Andrik realized. He also knew what Lash and the others were expecting. Turning, he kicked dust over the body to show his utter lack of caring for his enemies. Despite what he did, he felt terrible.

The next few hours passed in a blur. Suddenly, Andrik was standing among the gang members while Lash spoke. Then he heard his name. In a daze, he walked to his Gang leader. Lash placed his hand on Andrik's shoulder and turned him to face the gang.

"This junior member of our gang has made his first kill. He fought a coward who attempted assasination. Andrik gave us warning and fought the foolish weakling. In one blow he took the life of the enemy and has claimed his rightful place."

Lash turned Andrik to face him. The look in his eyes was unreadable despite the pleased smile.

"Andrik Prove, you have truly proven that you are ready to be a full member of the Blood Moon Gang. You fought and defeated a coward who hid in the dark. I now give you your name: You are Andrik Prove no longer. You are now part of Blood Moon. You are Shadow!"

Shadow looked out at the gang. The full members-active and inactive-were cheering for him in a savage joy, while the junior members cheered only out of requirement; they all hated him now, because he had claimed his name.

Cressedia met him the moment the crowd dispersed.

"Good job Drak! Oh wait, you're Shadow now! Good work!"

"Thanks Cressedia," Shadow answered in a strangled tone. Cressedia looked at him sympathetically.

"Sorry, but early tomorrow morning, Lash has asked that you join the territory gathering team. After that you get to choose your home."

She paused, blushing slightly.

"If you like...well, you could sleep at my place tonight. Only if you want to."

"Thanks, but I have somewhere," Shadow answered, still sounding choked. He left Cressedia standing there and waded through the dispersing gang. Several vestals murmured congadulations, but Shadow didn't hear them. He went straght to his Annex shelter.

As he stood alone, he couldn't stop the image of the dead boy from surfacing.

Laughter-shrieking, maniacal laughter-suddenly escaped him. He couldn't stop. The laughing kept growing, until all reason vanished.

* * *

**Yep, Andrik gets his name, and goes crazy. Nice ending huh?**

**Shadow Prove: *sigh* Sarcasm.**

**UNTIL NEXT CHAPTER, REVEIW PEOPLES!**

* * *

**Yeah, in class the day after I first uploaded this chapter, I wrote a haiku about this story. **

**A Mind that Shatters**

**A life Stained with bright Scarlet**

**A twisted being**

**Little dark and freaky, right? Lately everything I've been writing has been very dark, and scaring me. And I'm _writing_ it! Must be stemming from my depression about the school year ending. I HAVE THE BEST TEACHERS EVER! *burst into tears***


	8. Cold Reunion

**SORRY THAT THIS TOOK _FOREVER_! I didn't start writing this until June 14th. I had other projects that I was working on, which delayed me. And _then_, I didn't ever have the motivation to write this. I APOLOGIZE!**

**This _might_ be a total fail, but I _will_ keep trying to improve it. If it _is_ a fail, I AM SORRY!**

* * *

Shadow was having a very good time.

Terrifying the other gang members without fear of retribution was just a perk of being in Lash's inner circle. He was the "resident maniac", as Cressedia had labled him.

Growing bored, Shadow tossed the kid he was holding into a pile of rubbish. He wandered off, not really paying attention to his path. Then he heard a scraping noise.

Rounding the corner, he saw a kid, maybe twelve or theirteen, upended in a garba-holder. The only strange thing about the scene was that you rarely saw kids his age nearly upsidedown while scavenging. Shadow watched, not sure what was going on. Then the kid righted himself.

Shadow felt like he'd been punched in the gut. He recognized that cropped silver hair.

Automatically, he bent down and grabbed a fist-sized rock. Taking careful aim, he threw it.

The rock hit dead-center on the back of the kid's head. He fell in a heap, out cold. Shadow walked over and slung the boy over his shoulder and took off at a brisk walk. No one barred his way; his ranking within the gang, coupled with the fact that he was carrying a limp body over his shoulder, was enough to part the crowds like the Red Sea.

Approaching Lash's quarters, Shadow kicked open the door, interrupting whatever Skull was saying. It looked like he had just barged in on a possibly important meeting. Shadow couldn't care less.

"Lookie at what I found," he announced, ignoring Skull's outraged expression. He dropped the boy on the floor with a loud _thud_. Search immidiately darted over to identify the stranger.

"This one's a castle ward," he announced, seeing the castle crest on the thick metal band around the boy's wrist. "I just wish I knew _who_!"

Shadow snorted.

"That's Narix Prove. He's about 13."

Lash looked at Shadow, eyes narrowed. Then he looked at Narix on the floor.

"Narix Prove...This is Andrik's brother."

"Was" Shadow hissed. He refused to be identified as Andrik, even if it was his birth name. The story was that Andrik had been killed by Shadow a long time ago; Andrik was now refferred to in the past sense. Lash still held the fact that Shadow was noble-born over his head.

"Keep him in the back room," Lash ordered. "Shadow, speak with me alone. I have an assignment."

***Some Time Later***

"I hate special assignments!" Shadow whined. Skull was the only one in earshot, and he very pointedly covered his ears; Shadow's voice was still much higher pitched than most Vestal boy's, even those who were years younger. This made it torture when he complained, because his voice was sure to annoy anybody-except Lash, who was never annoyed.

He grumbled, wrenching open the door to the back room, where Narix was sleeping. He was muttering under his breath for hours. It wasn't until he heard the boy he'd once called his brother stir that he halted his stream of complaints.

Narix's voice, strict and authoritive, like Jekrom's had been, but with a touch of fear, followed right on cue.

"Where am I? How did I get here? Who are you?"

"Why don't you just chillax kid?" Shadow mocked. "We're not keeping you for long. Soon you'll be right back onto the peak of the snob mountain, where all you nobles belong."

Narix refused to be deterred from his demands.

"If you are a local, you should be able to tell me the whereabouts of someone I'm seeking. Tell me, have you ever met a boy named Andrik?"

"Yeah," Shadow answered, looking back at him. "I knew him, but he died about a year ago. Killed in a border skirmish."

Narix looked like the wind had been knocked out of him. Shadow felt a satisfied smile cover his face. Yes. Andrik was officially just stared at Shadow. Then he murmured, "You look just like him."

Shadow gritted his teeth. This was the part of the assignment that he did _not_ want to do.

"You ever think that's because I'm all that's left?" Shadow asked, acting like he was annoyed, which he was, just not in the way he needed Narix to see it.

Narix once again looked like he'd been lowballed.

"Andrik?"

"Didn't you hear me?" Shadow snapped. "I told you Andrik was dead! I'm not Andrik, I'm Shadow!"

Narix flinched away from the ferocity of the attack. Then he whispered, "You are my brother. No matter what name you take we are of the same blood."

"I'm not your brother," Shadow snapped. "We may have the same bloodline, but we are _not_ brothers."

Shadow crossed the room, wrenched the door open, and stalked outside.

* * *

**And that's a wrap! Yeah, took so much longer than expected, but this is how it worked out. We're getting closer to the New Vestroian exodus. Please keep reading and reveiwing!**

**When I was out of the room, a joint effort of sillyness from my two brothers made _this_:**

qwerty says hi :) bob exclaimed to jerry the fishg900-7


	9. Retoren

**_Ja_, I had to get this part written. Lash's idea for Narix comes clear, and Cressedia gets to have another confrontation with Shadow. Last chapter before the exodus.**

* * *

Shadow sat in the hall, impaitently. He could hear Lash telling Narix his plan to improve conditions of the Gang. Personally, he hated the idea, but Lash was the one in charge here: nothing to be done about it.

"Your brother will return with you to the castle, but only on the condition that you open the funds we previously discussed. This is the only way I will negotiate with you. You would be wise to accept."

"Still sulking?" Cressedia asked, approaching. Shadow turned to see her, scowling as he felt the annoying slight recognition that had plagued him since he'd first met her. Cressedia saw his expression, and assumed a cold demeanor.

"If I'm not welcome, I might as well leave you to your wounded ego. I came to speak with you, but if you do not permit it-"

"Why are you so familiar?" Shadow blurted, even against his own will. "I keep thinking that you look like someone Narix's brother knew."

Cressedia took a few moments to process this turn of events.

"He must have seen my younger sister at the palace. Her name is Mylene Farrow, and she should be a year older than you."

Shadow thought for a minute before her remembered something: a blue-haired, blue-eyed girl walk past him hin the palace hallway. She looked highly suspiscious, as if she had lived her whole live under a death threat.

"How in the name of scoogets did she become a castle ward? The fat man doesn't just pick people off the streets."

"Mylene has always wanted respect and power, something I never gave to her," Cressedia answered, ignoring the scoogets comment. "She told me that she would climb higher than I could ever reach. I don't know how, but she managed to impress Zenoheld enough for him to make her a castle ward, and promise that she would become a noblewoman at sixteen."

Shadow did not respond to this, partly because he had nothing to say, and partly because Lash had just walked outside, trailed by Narix. Shadow stood up when Lash moitioned for him.

"Go pack your things," Lash ordered, his voice chill as snow. "I have a call to make. Skull is in charge, and you will obey him until my return."

"How long is Skull gonna have until he gets demoted again?"

"You will know," was the simple reply. "I will have...quite the entrance to make. Try not to panic when you hear the sirens."

.

Still half within the memory streams, Shadow muttered unitelligibly.

Lash had made a flashy entrance with several authorities to retreive the "lost nobility". Life had been a murder since: palace life gave Shadow new things to do, new people tp bully, but it also meant seeing the brat Hydron a lot.

His sixteenth birthday had brought one perk, and one downside. The good part: he was old enough to drive any vehicle legally. The bad part: as a full nobleman he had to attend all of the nobleman's council meetings.

Thankfully Zenoheld had disolved the council after Shadow's ninth meeting. Shadow wasn't very good at sitting still or paying attention for any length of time; he had fallen asleep four times. It was only pure luck that he didn't snore.

He and Mylene had met and established a tense relationship. Then the discovery of New Vestroia had come.

* * *

**DONE! I needed this to tie up a few loose ends. So, here is proof: Shadow is a nobleman.**

**And if you want to see Shadow's driving skill, watch episode 3 of New Vestroia. He has had no improvement since his sixteenth birthday. Even after a year of practice.**

**Exodus next! Reveiw until then!**

* * *

**I also would like you to note that the title of the chapter-Retoren-is a video game term used in _Rune Factory_. It means sending something back to it's birth home.**


	10. EXODUS

**Mass exodus from Vestal! Shadow and Mylene get a new shot at life. This won't be very long. Just a clarification.**

* * *

Shadow was bored. The only thing he could do was think. And he hated thinking.

The only other options were to either stare out the window at the passing blurs of stars, or to watch Mylene bully the commonors; being the youngest of the Nobles, both Shadow and Mylene were being flown to New Vestroia with peasants on Alpha City.

While Shadow would never admit it, he actually like Mylene quite a bit. He wasn't sure why, but was attracted nonetheless. He found it frightening that he actually cared about what Mylene thought about him, and pestered her near constantly to try and show his preference for her. Mylene had not yet responded to this in any way, which made Shadow even more interested and determined.

He saw her short temper flare in annoyance at a small teenaged boy with pink hair in all green as he made fun of her outfit. Mylene snapped at him, which caused a hasty retreat from the boy. She called a threat after him, and Shadow had no doubt that she would definately fufil it if pushed enough.

An enormous Vestal-it was impossible to see if it was a man or just an overlarge teenager-blocked Mylene from Shadow's sight, causing his train of thought to shift.

What was even more frightening than his mysterious attraction to Mylene, was what had happened when Shadow had met Narix again: he was actually thinking clearly. Well, more clearly than he had in years.

His logic and habits had been permanently fixed by his trip to insanity for a year and a half, but he was no longer ruled by instinct or by the will of a superior; reason-however crooked-was master of his actions once again.

Despite his best efforts to convince everyone-and through them, himself-that Andrik was dead, Shadow felt parts of Andrik alive inside him. While still able to see and do violent actions without feeling ill, Andrik's preference of non-violence had resurfaced. Shadow increased the amount of strange habits in order to cover up the rebirth of his former self, including laughing with his toungue out and legally having his name changed. The various reactions to these actions helped Shadow feel that Andrik truly was gone, even if it was just a mirage.

Shadow heard the computerized voice remind everyone that they would be on New Vestroia in four hours. Shadow stepped away from the edge of the city and began to hike back to the building all the higher ranked vestals were staying until everything was formalized.

New Vestroia was a place that Shadow could escape his past, and everyone that had known him as Andrik-Narix and all the Blood Moon Gang were still on Vestal. He had gotten rid of anything vaugely Adrik or Nobleman-like, bringing nothing but the bare necessities. Seriously, who cared if he only had three copies of the same outfit?

Shadow became aware that an orange-haired girl was saying something to him in a pleading tone.

"You're breaking my heart, really," Shadow cut across her sarcatically. "But I don't care. So why don't you just scram off, huh?" Shadow started to laugh, letting his tongue hang out. The girl made a hasty retreat.

Shadow laughed enough louder. The whole world was just a big joke. He didn't stop laughing for a long time.

* * *

**This was a bit longer than I predicted. If the way I wrote this confused you, they are on the flying Alpha City somewhere in space. I think it still counts as only a clarification chapter.**

**Shadow Prove: You're really dragging this out. I'm getting bored.**

**Me: I quoted episode 3 in this one. Almost. Which reminds me that Lync, Mira, and Volt get unnamed apperances.**

**Shadow: She's not listeneng. Oh well. *turns to face the reader* Review this or I will hunt you down.**


	11. The end for now

******Alright, we are switching back to the present (right after the death bomb, if you've forgotten).**

**Shadow Prove: Took you long enough.**

**Me: What? It had to happen.**

**Shadow Prove: So _now_ you're listening to me? That's a first.**

**Me: The same way you listening to her was a first.**

**Shadow Prove: Shut up! You know I have no choice!**

**Me: Be nice. Or do I have to get her over here?**

**Shadow Prove: ...**

**Yumeí: Dream only owns the plot and OC's**

**Shadow Prove: !**

**Me: Speak of the devil and she will appear...**

* * *

Shadow was alone in the inky dark again. Nothing had changed during his stream of flashbacks, just that his head felt clearer than he could ever remember it being. Being alone with nothing but his thoughts was really getting to him now. Irritation and impatience was driving him up the wall-figuritivly speaking of course; there were no walls in the dark cloud of black.

To shake off the sentimental feelings, Shadow ran through a quick checklist to reconfirm his identity.

_My name is Shadow Eclipse Prove, I am 17 years old, I am a Darkus Brawler, I am a member of the Vexos, and I may or may not be dead..._

Shadow felt a chill ripple around him. He saw a long, deep purple slash appear in the dark. It seemed to have some kind of gravitational force, because he went flying toward it without being able to resist. He was tossed around like a ship at sea, flipping head over heels.

Then he was lying on black stone. Shadow scrambled into a crouch, whipping his head around for any indiction of where he was.

He was in an empty wasteland, with mountains and cliffs made of polished obsidian. The sky was purple, with a black vortex swirling right in the center of it. There was no obvious source of light anywhere around.

_If this is the afterlife, _Shadow thought,_ It is going to suck for all eternity._

When he returned his gaze back to center, he saw a hand proffered to help him. Without thinking, he took it and allowed the mysterious person to pull him to his feet. When their fingers touched, Shadow felt like he was burning. It lasted for only a moment two, but Shadow was certain something had just happened.

As he let go of the hand, he got a proper look at it's owner: a human girl with a long, messy black braid, bangs that fell into her brilliant jade green eyes, and a single strand of hair that stuck out like an antenna...

"When did _you_ die?"

"I didn't die. And neither did they," she jerked a thumb over her shoulder.

Shadow looked at the indicated spot and saw-to his utter shock-his old Vexos pals, Lync Volan and Volt Luster. They were hanging behind the human, looking rather uncomfortable. There was another human back there too, glaring at Volt like she wanted to kill him. She kept muttering the word "blackbird," in miffed tones.

"Nobody in here is dead. Except _maybe_ Tabitha..."

"Yumeí, I'm not dead," the other human called.

"Really? I thought I turned you to stone?"

"And I thought you failed." She tapped the back of her hand as if to say "see?"

Yumeí rolled her eyes. Shadow had no clue how to take this turn of events. He _knew_ Lync and Volt _had_ to be dead. Hydron had sent them through the death portals. And in any case, why would a human like Yumeí be in the Vestal afterlife?

"I told you this would happen," Volt remarked.

"Shut up and go find Mylene," She told him.

"Where should I look?"

"Everywhere. I don't know where I sent her. So go look."

"Just like a Ninja. Never planning anything through."

"Volt," Yumeí said through clenched teeth. "Go and get Mylene. That's an order, and you _have_ to obey it."

Volt obediently left.

"That's it," Shadow mumbled. "I really _am_ dead."

Yumeí immediately punched him in the arm. _Hard_.

"If you were dead," she informed him, "that shouldn't have hurt."

It _did_ hurt. But Shadow was only partly convinced. He wasn't going to take a resistance member at her word. Yumeí seemed to know what he was thinking. She punched him again, but gentler this time.

"Come on you big doofus. Let's get back to the castle and I can explain _why_ your not dead."

She turned and walked away. Lync began to trail after her. Without any other option, Shadow followed.

* * *

**Another story complete! About time too. I've been working on this one for months.**

**Shadow: Yeah, you just laid out my entire past for all the world to see.**

**Yumeí: At least you're alive.**

**Lync: Yeah. I just hope Dreamflight decides not to do the same thing for all of us. That would be embarrassing.**

**Mylene: Like your one to talk!**

**Yumeí: Don't start fighting again!**

**Dream: If you do want more of the Vexos' histories, please let me know. And for all people who read this, THANKS FOR SPENDING THE TIME!**

**Yumeí: And please review!**


End file.
